192
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 14]
TRANSLATION
My dear King, of all persons a qualified brāhmaṇa must be accepted as the best within this material world because such a brāhmaṇa, by practicing austerity, Vedic studies and satisfaction, becomes the counterpart body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
From the  Vedas  we learn that the Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Person. Every living entity is an individual person, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead,  Kṛṣṇa , is the Supreme Person. A  brāhmaṇa  who is well versed in Vedic knowledge and fully conversant with transcendental matters becomes a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one should worship such a  brāhmaṇa  or  Vaiṣṇava . A  Vaiṣṇava  is superior to a  brāhmaṇa  because whereas a  brāhmaṇa  knows that he is Brahman, not matter, a  Vaiṣṇava  knows that he is not only Brahman but also an eternal servant of the Supreme Brahman. Therefore, worship of a  Vaiṣṇava  is superior to worship of the Deity in the temple.  Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura  says,  sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ : in all the scriptures the spiritual master, who is the best of the  brāhmaṇas , the best of the  Vaiṣṇavas , is considered to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This does not mean, however, that the  Vaiṣṇava  thinks himself God, for this is blasphemous. Although a  brāhmaṇa  or  Vaiṣṇava  is worshiped as being as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such a devotee always remains a faithful servant of the Lord and never tries to enjoy the prestige that might accrue to him from being the Supreme Lord's representative.
TEXT 42
नन्वस्य ब्राह्मणा राजन्कृष्णस्य जगदात्मनः ।
पुनन्तः पादरजसा त्रिलोकीं दैवतं महत् ॥४२॥
nanv asya brāhmaṇā rājan kṛṣṇasya jagad-ātmanaḥ punantaḥ pāda-rajasā tri-lokīm daivatam mahat